1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fruit and vegetable peeling and coring devices, and more specifically to devices for simultaneously removing the inedible peel and core of pineapples from the edible flesh quickly and efficiently.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various produce peeling and coring devices are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,265, issued to Cushman, teaches a pineapple corer and peeler having a rotating core cutting tube and a peeler blade. U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,795, issued to Raub, et al., teaches a semiautomatic pineapple peeler having concentric cylindrical knives. U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,943, issued to Knasel, teaches a peeling and coring apparatus having an inner cutting blade and an outer cutting blade coaxially aligned with each other. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,719, issued to Poltielov, teaches a coring apparatus having a coring blade with teeth.
None of these inventions, however, teach a modular blade assembly, comprising a peeling blade and a coring blade, that can be removed as a unit and placed on various machine structures, such as wall mounted machines, free standing machines, and tabletop machines. The blade assemblies in the prior art are actually integrated into a machine, whereby the machine provides support and the leverage for moving the cutting and coring blades. The blade assemblies in the prior art cannot be removed as a unit and placed in various machine structures.
A produce peeling and coring assembly having a modular blade assembly that is efficient, easy to clean, easy to assemble and disassemble, and thoroughly peels and cores produce, is desired. Furthermore, a modular blade assembly that can be removed as a unit and placed on various machine structures, such as wall mounted machines, free standing machines, and tabletop machines is desired.